London Fire Brigade (LFB) has warned smokers to dispose of their cigarettes responsibly after a series of fires in south London, each found to have been caused by cigarettes.
The warning follows a man's death in a house fire in Brent on Tuesday, the cause of which is under investigation by the Brigade and the Metropolitan Police Service. LFB attended blazes in Beckenham, Croydon and Westbourne Park on Friday and Saturday, all attributed to cigarettes.
Smoking a leading cause of fire
Smoking is the third most common cause of fire in London, with LFB responding to 686 accidental fires caused by smoking this year—more than two incidents a day. Four people have died in these fires, and 55 others were injured.
The first fire occurred at a block of flats on Brookehowse Road in Beckenham on Friday, with six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from Forest Hill, Beckenham, and Bromley attending to a blaze at a first-floor flat. LFB was called at around 4.30pm, and the fire was extinguished by 6pm. Three people were led to safety by firefighters, with no reports of injuries.
Three incidents in two days
Five fire engines and around 30 firefighters responded to a second fire on Westbourne Park Road on Saturday morning. The fire damaged an 18th-floor flat, with firefighters attending at around 7.55am and the fire under control by around 8.50am. There were no reports of injuries.
A ground floor flat on Heathfield Road in Croydon was damaged by a third fire on Saturday afternoon. The brigade was called at 12.20pm, with four fire engines and around 25 firefighters extinguishing the blaze by around 1.20pm. Three people left the building before LFB arrived, while firefighters wearing breathing apparatus led one woman to safety using a smoke hood. Two people were treated at the scene by the London Ambulance Service.
Safety advice issued
A spokesperson for London Fire Brigade said: "These incidents are a stark reminder that smoking is still one of the leading causes of fire in London."
"While our advice is not to smoke at all, if you are going to smoke it's vital to ensure that your cigarette is completely out when you've finished smoking it and disposed of responsibly. If you don't, you risk causing a fire which could not only destroy your home but also cost you your life."
"With temperatures dropping it can be tempting to smoke indoors instead of outside. Never smoke in bed or on armchairs or sofas, especially if you think you might fall asleep."
